Hat-finishing machine



Aug. 22, 1939. s. HAYES HAT-FINISHING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEO/@GE /V/l YES BV /l /nmm ATTORNEY Aug. 22? 1939. G, HAYES 2,1795'756 HAT-FINI SHING MACHINE v Filed April so. 195s :s sheets-sheet INVENToR GfoRGE HAM-S ATTORNEY Aug. 22, 1939. G. HAYES HAT-FINISHING MACHINE Filed April 30, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 w E W .ma M ,E L @BW Patented Aug. 22 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT-FINISHING MACHINE George Hayes, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to George Frederick Farr, Luton, England Application April 30, 1938, Serial No. 205,152

14 Claims.

'mentioned character in which the Weight and mass of the materials employed in the construction can be materially reduced without `sacrifice in strength, solidity and rigidity. Another obiject is to provide a machine of the above-mentioned character in which high speeds of movement of the operating tool may be safely and dependably achieved. Another object is to provide a machine of the above-mentioned character in which vibration of the machine may be eifectively eliminated or minimized. Another object is to provide a machine in which the advantages of very high speed of movement of the surface of the operating tool may be dependably achieved without sacrifice in economy of manufacture, without imposing undue Wear and tear upon the moving parts, and without the creation of detrimental vibration. Another objectis in general to improve the construction and operation of, and the results produced by, felt finishing or surfacing machines. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplied in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which several of the various possible embodiments of my invention are shown by way of illustration,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of machine;

Figure 2 is a front elevation as it would be seen from the left in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of apparatus, certain parts being broken away in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in order to show :more clearly' certain structural parts;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View as seen along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

similar referente @andere rrirr to similar parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

As conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features of my invention, it might at this point be noted that certain felt finishing machines as heretofore known, usually employing an operating tool Whose operative surface is of a material like sandpaper, where abrasion is desired, or wash-leather, or analogous` skin material where a ratinear eifect is desired, are subject Vto a number of shortcomings and as a rule, where the operating tool takes the form where its movemnt is, for example, reciprocating or eccentric, or otherwise not truly rotary, are subl jected to certain limitations and shortcomings imposed, in structures heretofore known, by the character of the tool and of its movement. For example, it has. heretofore been impossible to achieve high surface velocity of the lfinishing tool due `to such factors as the wear and tear on `the apparatus, vibration of the parts or of the machine as a whole, and other detriments, and it has accordingly been impossible to achieve practcably and economically the quality and character of finish Whichhigh surface velocity of the operating tool can achieve. One of the dominant aims of this invention is to provide a dependable, rugged, economical and highly efi- `cient apparatus to overcome such deciencies and shortcomings as have just been mentioned.

Referring rst to Figure 1, I prefer to provide a column-like frame or column I U, preferably hollow and four-sided in cross-section and provided at its bottom with a suitable base or base ange Il whereby it may be anchored to the floor; the column I Il is of appropriate height and at its upper end is flanged and faced oir as at I2 to receive and support a double-ended beamlike cross-frame I3 which may be U-shaped in cross-section or hollow, being provided at its under middle portion with a hollow downward extension faced off and anged as at I4 to mate with the flange I2, whereby the frame parts I0 and I3 may be secured'together.

The cross-frame I3 thus provides two cantilever arms I5 and I 6 which overhang the column I 0, illustratively at opposite sides thereof, and in the outer ends of the arms I 5, I6 are provided bearings B1, B2 and B3, B4, respectively, for vertical shafts I'I and I8, respectively, the latter being preferably short and the bearings of any suitable, preferably anti-friction,` construction, and 'both shafts projecting downwardly through the supporting arms where they are provided with or have mounted thereon an eccentrically porting pads 25, 23, respectively, the latter comprising any suitable cushioning means, such as soft rubber, covered by a sheet material like sandpaper, wash leather, or the like.

If the shafts I1, I8 are rotated, the` tool struc-V tures 2l, 22 partake of a bodily movement in .a path determined b-y the path of their respective supports, that is, the crank pins I9 and `2l), and hence paths that are circular about the axis of the vertical shafts; the tool/structures are preferably restrained against rotation about the respective axes of the crank pins I9 and 2i), preferably by rods 21, .28, respectively, secured thereto and kpassing slidably through eyes 29, 3|, mounted in Yany suitable manner against the under faces of the cantilever larms I5 and I6 so that they may pivot about a vertical axis.

If the vertical shafts I1, I8 are rotated, the rods 21, 28 reciprocate at a corresponding rate with respect to the vertically pivoted eyes 29, 3l, respectively, which freely pivot to accommodate the Yswinging of the rods through the angle determined by the throw of the eccentricl or crank pins I9 and 25.

It is against the surface of the operating pad or pads that they felt material is held and pressed with appropriate pressure to perform the nishing operation thereon, and particularly with the path of movement of the tool structure and the reciprocation of the rod that restrains it from rotation, at speedshigh enough to give the desired high surface velocity vthere is present what is in effect va substantial mass reciprocating, generally in the direction of the length .of the cross-frame I3, at' a `high rate, and the rapidly alternating dissipation of the kinetic energy stored therein, each time that the stroke or direction reverses, tends to set the apparatus and machine in Vibration, but according to certain features of my invention, I effectively overcomethat action with its .many detrimental effects upon the action of the tool, the bearings, and other moving and stationary parts. Accordingly, I provide a drive for the shafts I1 and I8 in such a way that the generally reciprocating parts move just about out of phase with each other and hence so that, as the mass represented by the tool structure 2l and its rod 21 moves to the left, as viewed in Figure l., the tool structure 22 with its rod 28 moves in the opposite direction. and hence to the right. This I prefer to achieve by setting the eccentrics or crank pin, I9, 20 just 180 apart from each other, and in Figure 1 they are so shown, and then I drive the vertical shafts I1 and I8 in synchronism. A preferred form of synchronous drive for the shafts I1, I8 may take the form of a horizontal shaft 32 extending along and housed within the hollow cross-frame I3, the latter being provided with suitableY spaced bearings, such as the bearings B5, B6, B7 and B8, and operatively connectV this shaft to the vertical shafts .I1, I8 as by the pairs of bevel gears G1, G2, and G3,- G4, respectively.

The shaft 32 may be driven in any suitable way, illustratively and preferably as by a pulley 33 intermediate of the bearings B6, BFI and a belt 34 that passesrover the pulley and,V downwardly into the column or frame I!) where it is driven by a pulley 35 from a shaft 36 which is preferably the shaft of an electric motor 31, the belt being conveniently given a 90 turn. The motor 31 is accommodated to as great an extent as is desirable, preferably within the column II), the latter being apertured as at 38 (Figures 1 and 2) and the motor 31 being preferably carried by a suitable table or standard 39 mounted in any suitable way, as by the guideways B8, for movement in a direction to set the tension of the belt 34, and hence in the illustrative embodiment in an up and down direction, suitable adjusting means,

I1', I8 an appropriate speed of rotation, and that may .be much higher than has heretofore been possible, the action and operation of the two tools, each on its own piece of felt or felt hat body, Vis smooth, positive, reliable and undisturbed by vibration, either of the tool itself or of the machine asY a whole, or of the support that presses the material against lthe pad. Each strain or stress set up by the high velocity of mass movement of one tool structure is met and counterbalanced and hence neutralized by an equal strain or stress set up by the mass movement of the other tool structure, and these neutralizing strains or stresses may be, and in the illustrative embodiment are, dissipated in the Ycross-frame I3; thus, movement toward each `other at high velocity of the moving masses, subjects the cross-frame I3 to compression, while movement away from each other subjects it to tension, but no effect is transmitted to the column I and other parts carried by it and theexact neutralization that takes place in the crossframe I3 .itself prevents any tendency to vibrate `or physically move the cross-frame I3. Also, the tool structures may be built more substantially and stronger and it is possible, also, to give them la greater eccentricity of movement than has heretofore been possible, thus still further increasing the surface velocity of any particle of the operative surface, such as sandpaper, leather, or the like. Or by thus materially increasing the throw of the crank pin I may achieve a given linear velocity of any point of Vthe operative surface for a lower speed of drive of the vertical shaft or shafts, also eliminate spiral streaking.

Any suitable means may be employed to support and press the material to be treated against the under surface of each pad, and also to eiTect a feeding movement of the material relative to the pad itself. Such means may take various Aforms and illustratively and preferably I provide supporting and feeding rollers 55 and 45 forthe pads 25 and 25, respectively, and mount and drive them in any suitable way. Preferably,

these rollers are appropriately journaled, on horizontal axes, in the lever arms 41 and 43, pivoted as at 49 and 50' to suitable brackets 5I and 52 secured to or formed in the left and right-hand faces of the column I9, bracket I being displaced toward the observer viewing Figure 1 from the central plane of the column I5 and bracket 52 being displaced in the opposite direction.

Levers #-11 and 48 have their lever arms I1SL and 58a connected as by links 53 and 55, respectively, to appropriate treadles 55 and 56, respectively, the latter being pivoted as at 51 and 58, respectively, externally of the Column Il! and one to each side thereof, namely, front and rear, respectively, as viewed in Figure 1. The operator,

therefore, working at the left-hand end of the machine, as viewed in Figure 1, has the foot treadle appropriately positioned for actuation by his right foot, and the same is true of, the operator working at the right-hand side of the machine.

The supporting and feeding rollers 45 and 46 are mounted in any suitable way on stud shafts and are preferably of relatively small dimension, thus permitting the operator, by appropriate guiding of the material or hat body, to cause the presentation to the operating tool, successively, of relatively small areas of the material and hence ultimately to traverse the entire surface relative to the operating tool.

Rollers 45 and 46 are preferably driven at a relatively low surface `speed appropriate to the rate at which it is desired to traverse the material across the moving surface of the tool and this drive is preferably effected by means of encased flexible shafts 59 and 60, respectively, which are suitably connected to the rollers at their one ends and which at their other ends are connected to the oppositely rotating slow speed shafts contained in a gear box 6| (Figures 1 and 2) carried by the movable table 39 and suitably coupled to the shaft 36 of the motor, as by having the shaft extend into the gear box, the latter containing appropriate reduction gearing of any suitable form to give the flexible shafts the relatively slow rate of rotation appropriate to the driving of the feed rollers 45 and4B. Of the latter, as viewed in Figure 1, roller 45 rotates preferably in a clockwise direction and roller 4.6 in counter-clockwise direction, it being noted that by the symmetry and identity of construction and mounting of the rollers and their respective drives, this oppositely rotating relationship of the two rollers is achieved in a simple manner from the opposite ends of the slow speed shafts in the gear box 6|.

Certain of the above-described features of my invention may be carried out in other forms of mechanism and illustratively one such form is shown in Figure 3 where the vertical `frame or column H6 is substantially the same as that of Figures l and 2 while the cantilever or crossframe H3 has the under faces of its two arms I I5 and i l'provided with opposed slideways or ways -66 (see also Figure 4) for slidably supporting the tool structures ||9 and |20, respectively, the latter carrying appropriate pads |25 and |26 provided with sandpaper, leather, or other operative surfaces. These tool structures may reciprocate relative to the slideways 65 and 66, respectively. The under middle portion of the crossframe ||3 is substantially U-shaped and hollowed out so that the upper end of a vertical shaft 61 may project thereinto, shaft 61 being mounted in suitable bearings B9 and B10 provided interiorly of the hollow column I0.

This upper end of the shaft 51 carries two eccentrics 69 and 10 of suitable throw but their angular relationship is such that they are opposed, being 180 apart. By means of eccentric straps 1| and 12 and connecting rods 13 and 14, the latter being pivotally connected to the tool structures ||9 and |20, respectively, these eccentrics 69 and 10 are operatively connected to the tools, and when the shaft 61 is driven at the selected speed, the movements of the tool structures are out of phase, on one stroke moving away from each other and on the other moving toward each other, whereby the Vactions which they might undertake to set up, such as to cause manner, preferably by means of a motor |31 mounted on a suitable platform or bridge 15 secured to or formed integrally with the column ||0, motor |31 being accommodated to a substantial extent within the column H6 in a suitable aperture |38 in the latter, as in Figures 1 and 2. Motor shaft |36 may be connected to the shaft 61 in any suitable manner, illustrativelyby bevel gearing G5 and G6, and like the motor shaft 36 of Figures 1 and 2 shaft |36 is connected to a gear box 61 from the opposite ends of the slow speed shaft of which the flexible shafts 59 and 6B are driven to drive the supporting and feeding rollers 45 and 46, supported and actuated and controlled preferably in the manner described in connection with Figures 1 and 2.

Thus again higher linear velocities of the operative surfaces of the tools may be achieved. Thus, the stroke of reciprocation may be made larger or the number of strokes per unit of time made greater, or both, and it will be seen that the structure is free from, vibration, and the manner in which the energy of motion of the pads is dissipated relieves, in a unique manner, frame and other structural parts from strain, stresses and vibration.

In both illustrative forms, aside from achieving such advantages as those noted above, the various frame parts may be made lighter, the weight and cost of the machine reduced, and yet durability and ruggedness and high efliciency of operation are not impaired. Also, high efiiciency and substantial savings are achieved. Wear and tear and maintenance are greatly reduced, durability increased, and the capacity, rate of production and quality of work performed by each tool greatly increased, and, moreover, at substantial monetary saving in initial cost.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided in this invention an apparatus` in which the several objects hereinbefore noted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A machine for surface nishing of felt and the like comprising an upstanding T-shaped frame carrying two operating tools, one at the end of each arm of the frame, and means movably mounting said tools for movement in the general direction of the length of said arms, two work-supporting means for supporting work in operative relation to said tools, respectively, and means for preventing reversals4 in direction of movement of said tools from setting up vibrations and from interfering with the presentation of the work to said tools by said work-supporting means comprising gearing and driving connections for said two tools forcing the latter always to partake of movements in opposite directions with respect to one another, whereby the strains caused by reversals in direction of movement are always opposite and substantially neutralize each other.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which Y 'the mounting means for said tools comprise guidel in said frame and having thereon two eccentrics angularly spaced 180, said eccentrics having operative connections respectively with said tools Ywhereby the latter move along said guideways,

always in relative directions that are opposite.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim l in which the mounting means for said tools comprise guideways respectively carried by said arms of the T-shaped frame, said tools having means coacting with said guideways and in which said driving connections comprise a vertical shaft having bearing means in the vertical portion of said T-shaped frame, said shaft having two eccentric means spaced angularly by substantially 180 and respectively connected to said two tools whereby the relative directions of movement of the tools are always opposite.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said mounting means for said two tools comprise two verticalshafts rotatably mounted at the respective ends of the horizontal part of said T- shaped frame, said shafts having eccentric means in connection with said two tools, respectively, and in 'which said driving connections comprise means for driving said two shafts synchronously but with their eccentricmeans always spaced angularly by 180 whereby the relative directions of movement of said tools are. always opposite.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim` 1 in which said mounting means for said two too-lsI comprise two vertical shafts rotatably mounted at the respective ends of the horizontal part of said T-shaped frame, said shafts having eccentric meansl in connection with said two tools, respectively, and in which said driving connections comprise a shaft extending parallel to the horizontal portion of said T-shaped frame and at its ends'geared to said two vertical shafts but in such relationship that the eccentric means of the latter are spaced angularly 180, and means for driving said shaft.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said mounting mea-ns for said two tools comprise two vertical shafts' rotatably mounted-at the respective ends of the horizontal part of said T-shaped frame, said shafts having eccentric means in connection with said two tools, respectively, and in. which said driving connections' comprise a shaft extending parallel to the horizontal portion of said T-shaped frame and at its ends geared to said two vertical shafts but in such relationship that the eccentric means of the latter are spaced angularly 180, the vertical portion of said T-shaped frame being hollow, and means accommodated within'said hollow vertical portion and having driving connection with said shaft.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said mounting means for said two tools comprise two vertical shafts rotatably mounted at the respective ends of the horizontal part of said T- shaped frame, said shafts having eccentric means in connection with said two tools, respectively, and in which said driving connections comprise a shaft extending parallel to the horizontal portion of said T-shaped frame and at its ends geared to said two vertical shafts but in such relationship that the eccentric means of the latter are spaced angularly 180, the vertical portion of said T-shaped frame being hollow and s'aid horizontal shaft having a pulley substantially at its middle and hence over the upper end of said hollow vertical frame portion and driving means including belt means extending downwardly into said hollow vertical frame portion for driving said pulley and shaft.

8. A machine for surface finishing of felt and the like comprising a T- shaped frame whose vertical portion is hollow and whos-e two-armed horizontal portion has a cross-section which includes a substantially channel cross-section, two operating tools comprising operating pads movably mounted at the respective ends of said twoarmed horizontal frame portion, driving means for said tools including driving connections extending upwardly through said hollow vertical frame portion, driving means extending along each of said two arms of the horizontal frame portion and between the opposed webs thereof, and an operative driving connection between said two driving connections.

9. A machine for surface finishing of felt and the like comprising a frame comprising a hollow column-like member and two-armed horizontal frame means supported from the upper end of said column member, with the two arms thereof overhanging said column member, two tools each for operating upon fur felt or the like, means in said overhanging arms forming supports for movably supporting said two tools respectively, means supported by and operatively connected to said column member, one for each of said tools, for presenting to the latter the material to be operated upon, driving means extending upwardly through said vertical column member and having horizontal driving connections extending respectively along said two arms for actuating the tools respectively supported by the latter.

10. A machine for surface finishing of felt and the like comprising a frame comprising a hollow column-like member and two-armed horizontal frame means supported from the upper end of said column member, with the two arms thereof overhanging said column member, each of said overhanging arms movably supporting a tool for operating upon fur felt or the like, means supported by and operatively connected to said column member, one for each of said tools, for presenting to the latter the material to be operated upon, driving means extending upwardly through said vertical column member and having horizontal driving connections extending respectively along said two arms for actuating the tools respectively supported by the latter, said means for presenting the fur felt to the tools comprising two work-supporting and feeding rollers, and means for driving the latter at a suitably slow speed and in opposite directions of surface movement thereof comprising driving connections including gear reduction means operatively connected to said driving means within said column member.

11. A machine for surface finishing of felt and the like comprising a frame comprising a hollow column-like member and two-armed horizontal frame means supported from the upper end of said column member, with the two arms thereof overhanging said column member, each of said overhanging arms movably supporting a tool for operating upon fur felt or the like, means supported by and operatively connected to said column member, one for each of said tools, for presenting to the latter the material to be operated upon, driving means extending upwardly through said vertical column member and having horizontal driving connections' extending respectively along said two arms for actuating the tools respectively supported by the latter, said means for presenting the fur felt to the tools comprising two work-supporting and feeding rollers, and means for driving the latter at a suitably slow speed and. in opposite directions of surface movement thereof comprising two flexible shafts, a

drive shaft having said flexible shafts connected thereto at its respective ends, and means for giving said drive shaft a relatively low speed of rotation. Y

12. A machine for surface nishing of felt and the like comprising a support having two overhanging rigid arms provided at the ends of the latter with means for movably supporting a tool structure for movement in a general back and forth direction, a tool structure carried by each of said mounting means, two means, each coacting with one of said tool structures, for presenting felt material or the like to said tool, and means for preventing reversals in direction of movement o-f a tool structure from setting up vibrations detrimental to the presentation of the felt material thereto comprising driving means for said two tool structures operating to effect reversals in respective directions of movement of said two tools in such out-of-phase relation that the strains or stresses set up by the reversal in direction of movement of one tool structure substantially neutralize those set upby reversal in direction of movement of the other tool structure.

13. An apparatus asv claimed in claim 12 in which said driving means' comprises driving connectionv means between the two tool structures for preventing the latter from getting out of said out-of-phase relation, and motive means operating upon said driving connection means.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim l2 in which said driving means comprises two individual driving means, one for each of said tool structures, and adapted upon actuation to give their respective tool structures said back and forth movement and including a driving shaft for each, and driving connection means between said two driving shafts for preventing said two individual driving means for letting said two tool structures depart from said out-of-phase relation.

GEORGE HAYES. 

